GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) – Two Palestinian children were killed and a third was critically wounded on Wednesday in a blast in northern Gaza, and the Israeli military acknowledged firing at rocket launchers there. The area, which is populated by civilians, is frequently used by Palestinian militants to launch rocket attacks against southern Israel.

Dr. Moaiya Hassanain of the Palestinian Health Ministry said 10-year-old Mahmoud Ghazal and his 12-year-old cousin Yehiya Ghazal were killed. Their 10-year-old cousin Sara Ghazal was critically injured, he said.

Witnesses said there were rocket launchers in the area. The Israeli military said its forces saw people handling the launchers and opened fire on them. The military charged that this was not the first time Palestinian militants have employed children in their attacks against Israel.